Vehicle.



J'. BOUTHETL VBHWLE.

APPLIGATION FILM; mim, 18,1904..

2 SHEBTE-SHEI inventor Witness f s No. reales.

Patented March 7, 1905.

.PartnrV UFF-ICE.

.IUI-IN BOUTHF, UF FORT @RTI-l, TEXAS.

uni-Hete..

SPECIFCATIOJM forming part oi Lettere Patent No. 784,13@ dated lltarch 7, 1905. Application filed March 18, 19041. Serial No. 198,717.

To all whom it 'litrtg/ crm/cern:

Be it known that I, JOHN Boeri-In, a citizen y of the United States, residing at Fort W'Orth,

in the county of Tarrant and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Vehicle, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to vehicles, such as buggies, for the transportation of passengers; and it has for its object to provide a vehicle of this class especially intended and adapted for the use of travelers who--1by force of circumstances are compelled to travel long dis tances, frequently at night, in sections of the country which are Inot readily accessible except by vehicle. F

The invention Iii'ay be described as consisting in a buggy or similar vehicle which may be readily transformed to provide a couch upon which the traveler may recline While in transit.

Specifically, the invention consists in certain improvements in the construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, which will b'e hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings has been illustrated a simple and preferred form of embodiment of the invention, it being under stood, however, that Ido not necessarilylimit myself to the precise structural details therein exhibited, but reserve the rightl to such changes, alterations, and modifications as come fairly within the scope ofthe invention and may be resorted to withoutdeparting from the spirit ir-sacrificing the eiiiciency of the same.

ln said drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of a buggy-box constructed and equipped in accordance with the principles of my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on a plane in rear of and looking' in the direction of the seat. Fig. Sois a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 3 3 in Fig. 1. Fig. l is a perspective detail view oi the adjustable back. Figa-5 is a bottom plan view of thefoldable seat eXtension, showing the means of connecting the same with the seat. Fig. 6 is a perspective detail view of the adjustable dashboard and the supporting; means for the same. Fig. i'

is a perspective rear view showing' a portion of a vehicle equipped with my improvements and illustrating the back curtain used in connection with the reclining-seat. Fig. 8 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a vehicle equipped as in Fig. 7.

Corresponding' parts in the several figures are indicated by similar numerals of reference. ln carrying out the invention the same may be applied to a vehicle box or body of any suitable well-known construction, the same being shown in the drawings at l. The sides 2 2 of the body have upwardly-exteuding brackets 3, supporting a seat L1, which is preferably made of ample dimensions. The back of the scat is divided into two parts or sec= tions, one of which, 5, is permanently 'supported by means of a bracket 6, connecting one end of said baclesection with one of the side rails 7 of the seat. Additional stiffening or supporting means may be used when de-` sired. The other back-section, 8, is connected hingedly with the back rail 9 of the seat in such a manner that it may be folded in a downward and rearward direction. Under the preferred construction illustrated in the drawings the adjustable back-section 8 is provided witha metallic rim or band 9', having a pair of rearwardly-extending brackets 10 1l) at the sides thereof.

11 designates a yoke, the ends of the arms of which are hingedly connected with the brackets 10. The yoke 11 constitutes a sup# porting device for the adjustable baclesection 8, as will be presently understood.

Upon the buggy-box, below that part of the seat which is provided with the hinged backsection 8, is constructed a platform 12, upon which is mounted a longitudinally-slidable frame 13, the sides of which are provided with ratchet-teeth 14. This frame is retained upon the platform by means of a pairof longitudr nal clips 15, the downturned ends of which are suit-ably connected with the bottom of the buggy. One or more springs are to be suit-V ably arrangcd to exercise tension in a rearward direction upon the slidable frame 13. In the form herein illustrated helical springs 16 i have been shown, said springs being` coiled upon the clip-rods 15 1n such a manner as to IOO ' ed upon the platform 12.

bear against the rear end of the frame and against the cross-piece or abutment 17, mount- It is to be understood that any suitable spring means may be employed for the purpose of exercising tension in a rearward direction upon the slidable frame 12. Also that the latter may, if desired, be mounted directly upon the bottom of the buggy. Also that any other mechanical structural changes may be made within the scope of my inventionV The frame 12, which 1 shall designate the ratchet-frame, serves to engage the yoke 11, so as to sustain the back-section 8 of the seat in any position to which .it may be adjusted. It will further be seen that the support is by no means a rigid, but, on the contrary, a flexible one, the degree of liexibility of which may be determined by the stiffness of the springs 16, which in turn may be regulated by adjustment of the block or abutment 17 longitudinally with relation to the sliding frame 12. To provide for such adjustment, the block or abutment may be provided with a longitudinal slot 18 for the passage of the securing-bolt 18', or any other suitable means may be employed for regulating' the tension.

Hingedly connected with that part ofthe buggy which supports the hinged back-section 8 is a seat extension 20, having folding legs 21 hingedly connected with the u;\, 1,er

side thereof, said legsbeing capable of fold-` ing out of the way under the extension 2O when the latter is not in use. This seat extension may be provided with eyes 22, engaging elongated staples 23, which extend under the seat 4, so that when the legs or supports 21 are folded under the extension 20 the latter may be folded downward and pushed back out of the way under the seat, said seat extension being preferably made of a size which will enable it to fit snugly between the under side of the seat f1 and the bottom of the buggy. The seat extension, as well as the buggy-seat, is to be suitably proportioned, and a cushion 24 is to be provided for the seat.

The back of the seat, composed of the-sections 5 and 8, will under my improved construction be made higher than the backs of buggy-seats of ordinary construction, no limitation being placed upon the exact height.'

It will be seen that by adjusting the supporting -yoke 11 with relation to the ratchetframe 13, near the front end of the latter, the back-section 8 may be folded down to an approximately horizontal position or to any desired inclination with relation to the seat, while the seat extension 2O may be folded forward and outward, so that the seat, the back, and the front extension shall cooperate to form a couch which will comfortably support the head, the body, and the hips of a person.

1n order to provide a suitable foot-support, l avail myself of the dashboard 25 which is mounted pivotally, as upon pins 26, between a normal or raised position.

pair of uprights or standards 27.' Said standi ards, under the construction illust-rated in the drawings,are provided withforwardly-extending loops 28, having laterally-extending arms .29,which when the dashboard is swung upon its pivots -to an approximatelyhorizontal position will serve to support and `reta"ln the dashboard in such position. lt is obvious that the precise configuration of the uprights or standards`27 is non-essential, it being only necessary that they shall be provided with` arms or brackets, which when the dashboard is tilted to an approximately horizontal position shall serve to sustain it in such position where it will constitute a most convenient and v comfortable foot-support for the traveler reclining .upon the couch which has been provided by the proper adjustment of the adjust; able seat-section 8 and the seat extension 20.

It will be observed that the adjustable-back feature, as well as the seat extension, is ap- ,plied only to the half of the seat which is to be occupied by the traveler, while these features are omitted from the part of the seat occupied by the driver, whose movements will not in any wise be hampered by their presence. 'It is `-obvious, however, 'that the portion of the seat equipped with my im prove` ments is not necessarily. limited to one half.

In connection with my improved seat construction it will sometimes be found necessary to use a specially-constructed back curtain connected'with the topv of th'e vehicle. Y,

The ordinary vehicle-top will not permit the folding seat-section 8 to be folded back to its full extent without previously loosening or partially removing the back curtain, which constitutes the rear portion ofthe vehicle-top. This would obviously expose the occupant to the hot rays of the sun or to the inclelnency of the weather, as the case might'y be. 1 have, therefore, devised a lspecially constructed back curtain adapted to be used in connection with a vehicle having my improved seat, and this special top construction or curtain construction has been illustrated particularly in Figs. 7 and 8 of the'drawings. In these tigures, 30 designates the vehicle-top, which may be of the ordinary folding variety or of any desired construction. This vehicle-top, as is usually'the case, is provided with a back curtain 31, the lower edge of which is adapted lto be connected with the rear part of-the seat when thefolding sectionofl the same is in its` When it is desired to use the reclining seat, the back cur- 'tain 31 is rolled up,fas shown in-Fig. 7, and

is secured below the buggy-top by means of straps provided for the purpose. An auxiliary curtain82 is then connected with theupper rear part of the buggy-top by means of buttons or other suitable fastening means 33, said auxiliary curtain comprising two separate fiaps 34 and 35, the former of which is provided-with side pieces 86, cooperating there- IVD y ed baclesection,

regine with to form an awning. When this auxiliary curtain is used, the lower edge ot' the Hap 34C isoonneeted by buttons or other suitable means. with the back of the folding seatsection 8, while the lower edge of the iiap 35 is likewise detaohably connected with the lower edge of thestationary seat-section. The awning, compos/d 0f the flap 34 and the side members 36, will thus shield the person who reclines upon the couch provided by my invention from rain and sun and enable him to perform a journey in comfort. i

The operation and advantages of my invention will be readily understood from the foregoing description, taken in connection with lthe drawings hereto annexed. The general construction is simple and inexpensive, and the invention may be easily applied to vehicles or' the ordinary construction.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. A vehicleeeat havinga permanently-supported backfsection connected with a portion ofits rear edge, a baclnsection connected hingedly and adjustably with the rear edge of the seat adjacent to the permanently-supported section, and means 'for retaining said hingedlymounted-back-section at various adjustments.

2. A vehicle-seat, a hingedly-snpported back-section for said seat, and means for retaining said back-section in adjusted position, said means including a spring capable of yielding to pressure exerted upon the back-section.

3.. A vehicle-seat having a hingedly-mount ed baclosection, a yoke connected with said back-section, and a ratchet-frame engaging said yoke.

t. A vehclefseat having a hingedly-m'ounta yoke connected hingedly with the latter, and a slidable spring-actuated ratchetfframe engaging said yoke.

5. A vehicle-seat having a hingedlymounted back section, brackets extending rearwardly from the latter, a yoke hingedly engaging said brackets, and a slidable springactuated ratchetd'rame engaging said yoke.

j 6. A venoleeeat havinga hingedly-mcunted hack-section` a binding-strip for the latter having rearwardly-extending brackets, a yoke connected hingedly with said brackets, and a slidable springactuated ratchet-frame engag`- ing said yoke.

7. A vehicle-seat having a hingedly-mount yoke having hinge connec-` ed hackfsection, a tion with the latter, a longitudinally-slidable lratchet-frame engaging said yoke, guide-rods for said frame, spring means to force the lat ter in a rearward direction, and an adjustable abutment engaging. said spring means.

8. A vehicle-seat, a seat extension connected hingedly with the front edge of said seat, and supporting means foldable under said seat extension.

9. A vehicle-seat, a seat extension hingedly and slidingly connected with the front edge 12. Avehicle-seathavingahingedly-mountn ed back member, supportingtand adjusting means for said back member including spring means adapted to yield to pressure exercised in a downward direction upon the back member when the latter is tilted, a front extension hingedly and adjustably connected with the front edge of the seat, and foldable supporting means for said front extension.

13. A pair oi standards, a dashboard supported pivotally between said standards, and means for supporting said dashboard in an approximately horizontal position. y

14. A painoii standards,a dashboard supported pivotally between, said standards, and l bracket means upon said standards for supporting the dashboard in an approximately horizontal position.

, 15. A pair of standards having brackets pro- Fvided with laterallyektending arms and a `dashboard'auplgiorted pivotally between said standards and adapted to be supported in an approximately horizontal position upon the arms extending from the brackets of said standards.

,16. A vehicle having a reclining seat, a piv oted dashboard, and means for supporting the latter in an approximately horizontal position.

17.- A vehicle having a seat, a back member connected hingedly and adjustably with the rear edge oi said seat, a front extension connected hingedly and adjustably with the front edge of said seat, supporting means for said front extension, a pair of standards, a dashboard supported pivotally between said standardsand means for supportingsaid dash board in an approximately horizontal position.

18. A vehicle having a seat provided with a hinged back-section, a top, and au auxiliary back curtain adapted to be connected w'ith the hinged back-section when the latter is folded down from its upright position.

19. A vehicle-seat having a permanentlysupported back-section and a hingedlysupported back-section, in combination with a top having a back curtain composed oi' ilaps adapted to be separately connected with the permanently-supported baclosection and with the hingedly-supported back-section when the latter is folded down from its upright position.

20. in a vehicle, a seat having a back composed of a plurality of sections, one of said sections heilig hingedly connected with the I oo IO tain provided with an awning adapted to be connected with the reclining back portion of the seat. A

In testimony that l claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aiixed my signature in l,the presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN BOOTHE.

Witnesses:

J. C. VAUGHAN, M. R. CHEEK. 

